Light Pollution is the ‘excess’ light created by mankind. It has many negative effects on our world and on us; it effects species of wildlife, has negative health effects and it hides the stars from view. It is most severe in highly industrialized and populated places of the world, such as places in: North America, Europe, and Japan. Light pollution is similar to other forms of pollution, like air, water and noise pollution; all have ill effects on our environment.
There are several forms of light pollution: light trespass, over illumination, glare and sky glow. All of these forms are caused by inefficient and unnecessary lighting. Light trespass is unwanted lighting which enters individuals property, over illumination is excessive lighting, glare occurs when light shine into the eyes of individuals, sky glow in the glow in the night sky which appears in overly lit areas.
The negative consequences of light pollution are broad and diverse. On one hand a great deal of energy is wasted from excessive and unnecessary lighting. In many cases malls, corporate buildings, parking lots and even homes remain lit the entire evening, even when no one is around is use the lighting. Light pollution also negative affects on our health, it can cause: increased amount of headaches, fatigue, stress, anxiety and some studies have indicated that it may have link to possible breast cancer cancer. This is because inability to produce nocturnal melatonin. The accompanying image was take by Todd Carlson (http://www.skynewsmagazine.com/pow/pow94.html). It shows before and after affects of a typical light polluted sky (right) and a wonderfully pristine looking, milky way filled night sky… imaged the night of a major blackout.
We at Starry Night Lights, strongly encourage you to consider the ill effects of light pollution and to take the appropriate steps in reducing light pollution. We offer energy efficient and ‘economically-friendly’ lighting, so that you can keep your neighbors from suffering from excessive lighting and enjoy the stars!
Hi
I fight against light pollution in Mexico.
Hi Rafael
Glad to hear from you…. Light Pollution is a world wide problem requiring world wide effort!
light pollution is not real ok if i want to see some stars ill go sit in the middle
of nowhere and wait for the night to come!!!!
Thanks for your thought provoking comments Kendall.
The fact is, even in the middle of nowhere you’re likely to be impacted by light pollution. For instance, the lights of Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Salt Lake City all impact the skies at Bryce Canyon Nation Park…. even though all are between 100 and 200 miles away. It’s getting to the point where this is almost nowhere you can go and be away from light pollution
Those who deny the existence of light pollution are suffering from its ill-effects in ways they are obviously not even aware of. Light pollution negatively impacts all of us, and it’s sad that this is the case, particularly as it is so easily preventable.
I’m not suffering from anything and I don’t believe this nonsense either. Just more enviro idiocy.
Thanks for the thoughtful comments, Wayne. Unfortunately, just because you don’t understand the issues doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. Enviro idiocy? Really? Take a look across any city and you’re likely to see industrial idiocy… and policy idiocy. The air in most US cities is listed as hazardous by the American Lung Association. Would you consider these guys enviro-idiots? The truth of the matter is that we are destroying the only planet known to be capable of supporting life. If this isn’t status-quo-idiocy, I don’t know what is.
I am writing a thesis on light pollution as it is a subject that does not get heard from enough….I can see the effects that light pollution has on our environment and our sky’s at night. Notwithstanding the effect that it has on our health and our wildlife and nocturnal creatures that are suffering due to our ignorance.
So come on everybody start looking at your home and cities and see what you can do to help combat light pollution.
Well, im not a big enviro person myself but im not hard headed. I live in SOCAL
, then ent to the mountains looked up tot the sky and IT IS OBVIOUS THERE IS A PROBLEM i live near SD,CA went up to julian, ca the night sky was gorgeous here where i live i can only see a few stars. It wasnt until i went to Julian that i realized the trerm ” who could count the stars” or in the bible ” I will give you a desendence numerous as the stars” i was like uhhh yea thers like four bright stars but i could not count the stars up there it was beatiful, words could not describe it… oh im writing a paper on light pollution 
ignorance is not bliss
it’s common sense to analyze the world around you
reduce your intake of all things, we do not fully understand the long and short term effects of all the things we create, let alone everything surrounding us.
Hi……., I am in 11th std. and doing the project on light pollution..! its quiet essential to learn about this topic. Because in future mankind will suffer the harms due to the light pollution…!